


Konpeito

by Rahenna



Series: Rahenna's Gakuen Heaven Oneshots [11]
Category: Gakuen Heaven 2 ~Double Scramble~
Genre: Birthday Fluff, Birthday Presents, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-12
Updated: 2016-01-12
Packaged: 2018-05-13 11:19:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5705743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rahenna/pseuds/Rahenna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nao's birthday present to Sakaki is more than a simple jar of candy; it's a message of love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Konpeito

**Author's Note:**

> A little story for Sakaki's birthday, inspired by Tomo's 2015 birthday event:
> 
> Tomo: A jar of konpeito...? Professor Sakaki, why are you giving me this?  
> Sakaki: To be exact, it's from your older brother. Before, when I tried to quit smoking, he gave it to me. Think of it as something like sharing a memento.
> 
> Originally posted here:  
> [Adults Always Lie](http://heaven.neo-romance.net/lies/)
> 
> If you want to know more about the Gakuen Heaven series, please visit my fansite for game translations and summaries:  
> [welcome to Heaven](http://heaven.neo-romance.net/)

**January 12, 2016**

Lunchtime. I was in my office, waiting for Nao to show up and invite me to lunch as usual, but I couldn't seem to sit still. The morning classes had been rougher than usual and the temptation to head outside for a quick smoke was growing harder to resist with each passing second. Only two things held me back: one, knowing that Nao would be disappointed, and two, the bitter cold of the windy winter day.

Oh, and three, I'd left my cigarettes in my car's glove compartment, at Nao's insistence.

Pacing wasn't going to do anything about my nervous energy. I sank into one of the guest chairs with a deep sigh, pressing one hand to the side of my face. My other hand rested lightly on the arm of the chair, still at first, but after a few moments my fingers began drumming on the fabric without my input. The familiar rhythm of a craving.

_Damnit, Nao, don't be late today, I can't deal with this..._

If only he'd hurry up, we could get to the car. And then I could have just one. Nao wouldn't like it, but he wouldn't hold one little slip against me, either. I'd been smoking since my first year of college; old habits wouldn't be broken in a week. Or a month. Or in the eight months since Nao had started hassling me about taking better care of myself.

He meant well, and as our relationship deepened, I began to understand that there was more than just concern for my wellbeing wrapped up in his desire for me to quit. There was also a quiet envy of the fact that I had good health to be ruined in the first place. He did his best to hide his weakness, but his constant short disappearances and lack of stamina pointed to more than a simple lack of physical fitness. Well, that, and his thin, almost sickly body, and the constant visits to Dr. Matsuoka's office, even if he insisted that they were just having a friendly chat.

Still, it wasn't any of my business. If Nao didn't want to talk about it, I wasn't going to ask. I would just appreciate the gift of his presence for as long as he was willing to give it.

Speaking of that, I glanced at the clock. If he didn't show up soon, we'd be stuck with choosing between the food trucks that gathered near the front gate around lunchtime instead of heading out to get something a little nicer. Just as I turned back toward the door, it burst open, revealing the tall, slim form of the director.

"Ahh, sorry I'm late!" Nao panted as he hurried to the chair at my side, dropping into it with a sigh. "I ran into the student council president on the way over here and he didn't want to let me go..."

I rolled my eyes; I'd been trapped by Hattori a few times myself. "That kid is a mess."

"He's trying to do a good job. His heart's in the right place."

Of course Nao would defend any student to the death. Arguing about it was useless. "Right, right. Anyway, where did you want to go to lunch? And what's in that obnoxious bag?"

I knew full well what was in the bag. Well, not the exact contents, but the reason for and the nature of the item contained within were quite clear.

"Oh, this?" A sly grin curled Nao's lips as he held up the festive gift bag, gaudy holographic paper decorated with iridescent glitter and silver swirls. "It's your birthday, dummy."

"It is?" I asked with mock surprise, and Nao just rolled his eyes and plopped it in my lap. "Hey, don't throw that glitter-coated thing on me, I'll end up sparkling for the rest of the day!"

"Too late now," he smirked, completely remorseless. "Open it up!"

I complied, taking care not to touch the sides of the bag; the last thing I needed was glitter on my hands, though I was sure that my clothes were already a lost cause. Inside the bag was a small, heavy cube wrapped up in reflective silver paper that was covered in yet more glitter.

"Nao, you have an unhealthy obsession with glitter," I sighed.

"I think saying 'obsessed' is going a bit too far," he protested, watching with interest as I set the bag on the floor and carefully removed the silver-wrapped package. "Hurry and open it!"

I took care with opening the gift, wanting to avoid getting glitter all over my clothes. Still, it was impossible to avoid making a mess, and I winced as a shower of silver rained down on my pants. There was a plain white box underneath the paper, and inside that, a heavy, square glass jar with a large cork stopper.

"Candy?" I took the jar from the box and set its rather substantial weight in my palm. It was filled with colorful bits of sugar in cheery pastel colors. "Konpeito." He'd already given me countless bags of the stuff, insisting that I should pop a few into my mouth whenever I craved a cigarette. _Your mouth needs something else to do,_ he'd said.

 _So let me kiss you whenever I feel like smoking._ That had just earned me a punch to the arm.

"Not just any konpeito, this is the good stuff, still handmade by artisans!" Nao seemed more excited about the gift than I was, leaning over to touch the glass. "And the jar is hand-etched too!"

"Really? That's a bit impressive." I had to admit that the jar was attractive, with a delicately etched pattern on the thick glass. It would probably make a nice paperweight once empty.

Nao's hand abandoned the glass jar and settled on my arm with casual familiarity. "I thought it would help, knowing that you had the very best as an alternative. At the very least, you could keep it on your desk as a reminder that I'm thinking about your health."

That was the real gift. The reminder of his care and concern. I glanced over at Nao, meeting his eyes.

"Thank you. You're always thinking of me."

_I love you._

I didn't say it, because he still wasn't ready to say it back. Might never be, if our past conversations were any indication. But I didn't care, because his actions said more than enough.

I wasn't sure who was the first to twist sideways in his chair, or to lean closer, or to tilt his head. But once our lips met, a thrill of sparks that was more brilliant than all the glitter in the world shivered down my spine, making my hair stand on end.

"Happy birthday, Professor," Nao murmured against my lips, and I felt him smile.


End file.
